In previous articles we have discussed the Zodiac shift from gun to knife at Lake Berryessa, his claim to be responsible for the San Jose knife slayings on August 3rd 1969, the "Bleeding Knife of Zodiac" correspondence and the possibility he was referring to the Reet Jurvetson murder as victim number eight. Then came the Melvin Belli letter on December 20th 1969, the tone of which bore similarities to the Frances Brown murder scene on December 10th 1945 at her 3941 North Pine Grove apartment in Chicago. She had been stabbed multiple times and the knife was discovered protruding from her neck. Her killer had left an ominous message written in red lipstick on the wall of her apartment stating "For heavens Sake catch me Before I kill more. I cannot control myself". The Zodiac Killer had written "I will loose all controol of myself. Please help me. I can not remain in control for much longer". We know that the Zodiac Killer had a propensity for plagiarism, often using lines from The Mikado, along with his reference to The Most Dangerous Game - both of which dated back to 1885 and 1924 respectively. Therefore, it shouldn't be too much of a surprise that he would again bring up another knife murder, this time from 24 years prior. The question is, whether anybody in the four subsequent months to December 20th 1969 could reasonably have been expected to make the connection between the Melvin Belli letter wording and the murder of Frances Brown in 1945, other than its designer?

William Heirens

William Heirens was convicted in the murders of Frances Brown, Josephine Ross and 6-year-old Suzanne Degnan, who was savagely killed and dismembered. This is what makes the murder of Robert Michael Salem on April 15th 1970 so very interesting. He was brutally stabbed in his 745 Stevenson Street, San Francisco apartment, with the newspapers reporting that "the killer had apparently tried to decapitate his victim and when that failed, cut off Salem's left ear". Suzanne Degnan's killer had severed her head, which was ultimately found in a sewer one block from her residence. The murderer of Robert Salem had also written on the wall of the apartment above his body, this time with "red blood" as opposed to "red lipstick", but accompanied by the wording "satan saves" and "Zodiac". The writing was adorned with the drawing of an Ankh - it was commonly held in the hands of deities, or being given by them to the pharaoh, to represent their power to sustain life and to revive human souls in the afterlife.

This crime scene coming just under 4 months after the Melvin Belli letter, which didn't overtly mention the Frances Brown crime scene, but disguised it within the context of the wording chosen. The murder of Robert Salem at 745 Stevenson Street just 1.6 miles from the 1228 Montgomery Street residence of prominent attorney Melvin Belli, 821 meters from the Chronicle offices and 0.8 miles from Union Square (the pick up point of Paul Stine's fateful taxicab journey). Could a random killer have engineered such a crome scene at 745 Stevenson Street by reading into the disguised writings of the Zodiac Killer 4 months earlier, when it is most likely not many had made the connection to the Frances Brown murder scene over two decades earlier? Or is it more likely that the Zodiac Killer murdered Robert Salem with multiple knife wounds (just 1.6 miles from the Belli residence), scrawled "Zodiac" on the wall in "red writing" and attempted to decapitate his victim in similar fashion to that of Suzanne Degnan?

An article describing the murder of Robert Salem featured in the San Francisco Chronicle on April 20th 1970, just hours before the Zodiac Killer mailed his '13 Symbol' cipher to the newspaper, stating "I hope you have fun trying to figgure out who I killed"​​​. After four months of silence, one could easily come to the conclusion that this was no coincidence, especially when we draw a parallel from the "satan saves" message on the wall in blood, to the 888 circled in the '13 Symbol' cipher. This figure representing Jesus or Christ the Redeemer in Christian numerology. Throw in the "Ankh" and "afterlife", and the picture becomes clearer. The massive parallels of the Robert Salem murder to the Frances Brown murder are clear to see - but could a killer pretending to be Zodiac have worked all this out from the innocuous pleas for help in the Melvin Belli letter months earlier? The Zodiac Killer (referring to the murder of San Francisco police officer Brian McDonnell) stated that "I hope you do not think that I was the one who wiped out that blue meannie with a bomb at the cop station. It just wouldn't doo to move in on someone else's teritory".But was 745 Stevenson Street, just 1.6 miles from the Melvin Belli residence and 0.8 miles from Union Square, more likely the territory he operated within - and did so on April 15th 1970?

The first coverage of the Salem murder was in the morning edition of the San Francisco Chronicle on April 20th 1970, so did the Zodiac Killer have time to construct a letter that included a cipher, bus bomb diagram and a reference to the murder of San Francisco police officer Brian McDonnell on February 16th 1970, who suffered devastating and sadly fatal injuries two months earlier, when a bomb packed with fence staples exploded on an outside ledge of Park Police Station in the Upper Haight neighborhood? The Zodiac Killer would had to have rushed this letter in order for it to be mailed and postmarked the same day. Unless, he had prepared it days earlier, just after the murder of Robert Salem and deliberately timed to coincide with the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper coverage.

The police claimed that the "killer was not Zodiac", but with the parallels drawn from the authenticated Melvin Belli letter regarding the murder of Frances Brown - that a copycat would have been hard pushed to extrapolate - does this make the assertion that this was not a Zodiac crime by police, a rather over-confident statement just five days after the murder?

On that wall....was a bit spooked by the employment of the lower case '' r ''....quite individual looking....and compares ''favourably'',on a copy basis,with ''Tommorow'',which starts the May 9th 2019 graffiti hate threat,at San Ramon Valley High School....which was the message,that dragged the FBI,back into the ''equation'',recently.

Tommorow
Library will be shot up first
Then Courtyard
Then Myself
Get Ready [Imbeciles ?]

There is still a copycat,on the loose,as we ''speak''.

Reply

Richard

7/26/2019 01:33:47 am

It's a shame we haven't got more background information on Robert Salem, because if he was befriended by Zodiac, then we could be looking for parallels in their social life. We know he crafted lamps (that may have involved the fabric used in their design) and Zodiac possibly crafted the Berryessa costume. Robert Salem was heavily into the arts, which could be comparable to Zodiac and the widely touted theatre connection. The proximity of Union Square with its generous nightlife and theatre haunts could have provided the link between Zodiac and Salem, whereby Zodiac could have befriended his eventual victim in order to gain access to his residence - but the limited knowledge of this man on the internet is a major stumbling block. Robert Salem had friends who worked at the nearby Franciscan Hotel - that may have some bearing on the case - with most victims being known to the killer. The recent messages scattered around these campuses almost certainly misplaced "high jinks" by immature but knowledgeable individuals.

Yesterday,I just had a look at the possibility of further graffiti,of any note,since May 9th 2019.at San Ramon Valley College.There has been none,at least,that is known by the public.But,I did spot that,in September 2018,and about three months before linked graffiti,at the Diablo Valley College....The San Ramon Valley College received a hate threat,via e-mail,that called for the FBI's involvement,also.

The sender of the e-mail,is presumed to have come from a European Union country.

So interesting,that you should bring up ''The Franciscan Hotel'' again.As well as an artisan fraternity,it does seem to have attracted a certain gay fraternity,also.

Possibly not relevant,in an absolute way,Richard....but all the evidence,''historically'',points to William Heirens as innocent of being ''The Lipstick Killer''...and therefore graffiti message writer,on Frances Brown's wall.

It seems that Heirens became a compulsive burglar and thief,from an early age.Finding himself in trouble with the law so often,''bought'' him a ticket into serving time at youth detention centers.

But,this could have been his great liberation,since the authourities,on discovering his exceptionally high I.Q.,fascilitated education for him,that would not have been affordable for individuals,from his background,normally.

However,Heirens persisted with his compulsion for theft....and it is this compulsion,that eventually put him ''on the radar'',as a possible ''Lipstick Killer''.

Once the press ''got wind'',they never let go...and law enforcement seemed to be persuaded that Heirens was guilty,even more.

Heirens.....what a fool [?].

Reply

Richard

7/26/2019 07:11:08 am

Oh, undoubtedly William Heirens was completely innocent of the murders he was incarcerated for. He was essentially railroaded as the killer, because police were determined to satisfy the publics demand for somebody to be held responsible for the three murders. As you stated, he was a petty thief - no more. The evidence presented against him very suspect indeed. The same goes for Michael Stone - where no evidence exists.

Opinions may vary....but I never read in too much to purported attemps,by a perpetrator,to ''decapitate'' a victim,related to an actual perceived attack.

A ''resolute'' attempt to cut a victims throat,with increased adrenaline and anger....will often leave only the top of the spinal column,in tact,and resemble a decapitation attempt.

''Suzanne Degnan'' on the other hand,represents a ''deliberate dismemberment ''.

More of interest,perhaps is,that Robert Salem had an ear cut off,by his perpetrator.

We could delve into the realms of Vincent van Gogh,and his plight as a frustrated artist,as well as having consumed too much paint,with a high led content....but,trying to keep things simple....

It would appear that the removal of one of Salem's ears ''was'' symbolic of ''something''.

Perhaps that Salem had heard information about the killer,for which he was unable to keep quiet [?].

The murder of Salem,certainly appears to be for personal reasons,with a Zodiac graffiti link,as a blame palming tactic.

Salem knew his killer.

Reply

Richard

7/27/2019 02:22:26 am

The idea that this murder was personal is perfectly believable and fashioned to finger Zodiac. There may be many opportunistic people who use the modus operandi of a serial killer to disguise their murders, much akin to the ABC murders plot. And certainly, the extensive knife wounds to the neck mistaken as an attempted decapitation, as they were during the attack on Cheri Jo Bates. On the flip side Rubislaw, if you were a copycat attempting to pass the Salem murder off as Zodiac, just throw in the crosshairs and running total. The fact that killer drew an Ankh, rather than the obvious, could be argued a Zodiac trait - the 1971 '148 Cipher' was accompanied by crosshairs without the overhanging lines, that surely a copycat would have done. The Salem murder, while probably not Zodiac, is certainly unusual off the back of the Melvin Belli letter. It could be coincidence, but these coincidences never seem quite enough to convince us. I know there is something more to this April 20th letter, because to run this off in a matter of hours after the Chronicle article, seems rather rushed.

With the Salem murder,it does seem,almost ''perplexing'' that,Stanley Dean Baker was found guilty [?].

One wonders how it really was,in those days [?]....and I suspect Baker was probably ''palmed off'',with this murder,by the police.Clean up on ''mystifying homosexual murders outstanding'',by handing it to Baker's culpability,since he was already facing another murder charge [?].

Salem's murder does seem to have a ''gay passion'',or ''friendship gone wrong'' feel to it.

Reply

Richard

7/29/2019 07:31:29 am

There is actually no evidence whatsoever that Stanley Dean Baker was responsible for the Salem murder. The idea of palming off murders onto serial killers is a good way for police to clear their unsolved murder rate up, as you stated. The police get a better clear up record, and often the serial killer (knowing they will never be released) get more notoriety. There is no proof that Zodiac Killer had any involvement in the Robert Salem murder, but he was a prominent San Francisco lamp designer and Zodiac did threaten a well known psychiatrist in Mr Adams. We know the Adams' featured in the press, so it wouldn't be too surprising if Salem featured in the newspapers also. Often, back in those days, newspapers ran people's home addresses, as they did with the murder victims families. I wouldn't imagine this would be the norm today. This cutting states that Salem's designs featured in major art museums, and we believe Zodiac had an affinity for the arts - or at least that is was what he wanted us to think. Officers believed the Zodiac written in blood was designed to throw police off the scent, and therefore would have been equally useful as a double bluff. But to write Zodiac in blood on the wall as a tactic, doesn't answer the strange link to Zodiac's last letter. Would Stanley Dean Baker or somebody like him really have researched the Heirens murders, or was the writing on the wall, brutal stabbing and attempted possible decapitation all just a fortunate coincidence.

It also said the rear end of the Franciscan Hotel backed onto the residence. So his friends (or possibly lover) who worked there, had easy access and line of sight to his building. The police said they believed the killer took a shower, but one would have suspected his clothes had blood transfer also. Did he don Salem's clothes to exit the apartment - and if not - could his exit journey be a brief one, to such a place as the rear end of the Franciscan Hotel.

Richard

7/29/2019 07:54:59 am

That is amazing - it stated the apartment workshop in which he was murdered was in the rear of the Franciscan Hotel. Stevenson Street runs under the hotel

The Baker conviction....deary me ! Does the removal of an ear,as something probably symbolic,and removing some fingers,as a snack....amount to the same thing [?]. I don't think....yes,in those days,''attitudes'' to unlawful acts seems to have been far harsher.

With the graffiti on Salem's wall....there seems to be more going on,behind the dried twig tree [?].

We have the Ankh,which is Egyptian for eternal life....the ''satan saves''[....as opposed to normal ''Jesus Saves''...].And then,the ''201 IPC''....which would have been a ''name'' for ''perverting the course of justice''.I think that ''Zodiac'' just picked up on it,in the newspaper.....which then inspired him,to get the April 20th letter,off in the post....already having constructed Z13....but waiting for a good excuse,to write that latter [?].

Just extra on Salem...the design of Hurricane lamps was his speciality.Hurricane lamps have their origins,in 18th Century India,Candles or coconut oil,was the original fuel,for the lamps.Salem was a bit more,than a commercial artist though...some of his lamps were exhibited in Art exhibitions,as actual works of art.

Yes,I think that there is ''no'' direct link between the Zodiac and Salem.But,the newspaper report certainly ''inspired'' something specific in the Zodiac.I think that the Zodiac would have seen,just on reportage,that Salem's murder had ''gay'' implications.

Possibly another opportunity,for the Zodiac,to ''fit'' WJGrant up,by suggestion [?].That's of course,if one is inclined to believe that the Zodiac was inpersonating Grant....cars,library cards...and even ''physically'',on occasion.

Reply

Richard

8/4/2019 05:18:09 am

Nor me Rubislaw, but yes I heed the caution of linking this to Zodiac based on the wall graffiti. What is to be gained by a killer writing these phrases and drawings on the wall - only to divert the police away from the real killer to the Zodiac. A stranger could effectively just leave the apartment, and if he hadn't left any fingerprints or been spotted by eyewitnesses, he would be highly unlikely to have ever been caught. The graffiti was likely drawn to give the impression of a random killer, which may point directly to the opposite conclusion - that the killer was known to Salem. If Robert Salem was a homosexual, then a love interest who had the power to inflict such wounds would obviously be the first port of call for the police. What better way to shift the suspicion, to a serial killer at the height of his infamy. You may be correct and the crime should be viewed in the reverse to what its portraying. With close friends working at the Franciscan, backing onto his apartment/workshop, this proximity is notable for ease of access and egress if blood transfer has occurred. If the crime wasn't the Zodiac Killer for reasons explored in the article, then as you allude, the whole scene is a selling job. The Ankh might tell you more about the murderer of Salem than Zodiac.

Robert Salem was into Gurus. Guru is a Sanskrit term for a "teacher, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field.] In pan-Indian traditions, guru is more than a teacher, in Sanskrit guru means the one who dispels the darkness and takes towards light, traditionally a reverential figure to the student,with the guru serving as a "counselor, who helps mold values, shares experiential knowledge as much as literal knowledge, an exemplar in life, an inspirational source and who helps in the spiritual evolution of a student". A guru is also one's spiritual guide, who helps one to discover the same potentialities that the guru has already realized. In the Tagalog language, Indonesian and Malay the word means teacher.

The killer drew an Ankh, which was used in religion and art. In artwork, gods hold the ankh up to the nose of the king: offering him the breath of life. Hand fans were another symbol of air in Egyptian iconography, and the human servants who normally carried fans behind the king were sometimes replaced in artwork by personified ankh signs with arms. In scenes of ritual purification, in which water was poured over the king or a deceased commoner, the zigzag lines that normally represented water could be replaced by chains of ankh signs. If Robert Salem mixed with individuals in the art world and talked of his faith in gurus, then the individual that killed him may have accidentally slipped this into the portrayal on the wall, knowing its connection to the afterlife, but inadvertently drawing from their own knowledge of the Ankh from the art world. Effectively projecting their knowledge onto what Zodiac may have done concerning the afterlife. In other words, they accidentally revealed more about themselves, rather than shifted the focus towards Zodiac. The killer may very well have known Salem enough to know his beliefs and probably visited his exhibitions. The Salem wall testimony to this notion.

Maybe reading up about the FBI's counter intelligence unit....aspects of which,the FBI freely admit to,in the ''Black Extremist'' files...has got me thinking that the FBI were,perhaps,''want'' to messing with crime scenes...as well as correspondences,related to acts of extortion....but....

I suspect that the ''201 IPC'' and its possible ambiguous interpretation,with ''ZOD IAC'',was ''daubed'' latterly,and for a crime scene photo....by an agency,like ''counter intelligence''...''to'' actually attract the Zodiac's attention,in to responding....which ''worked a treat'' [?].

Plus,the newspaper article,is already preparing the reader to take in that LE ''don't think'' that the Zodiac was involved.

And,this murder comes,about a month after the ''supposed'' Kathleen Johns abduction....a possible ''scenario'',where LE ''elect'' to believe Ms.John's version of events....simply to use as a tool,to attract the Zodiac back into corresponding,again.

Like the Johns abduction,the Salem murder,initially at least,could have been ''used'' to attract the Zodiac's attention,again.

With both,''working a treat'' for LE.

Reply

Richard

8/4/2019 08:27:54 am

When you compare the "Zodiac" writing with "Satan Saves" what is evident is how much more blood and how thicker the writing is. Not only is it testimony to the brutality of the attack and how much blood was lost, but suggests a different implement was used. Either that, or a large paint brush was used longways and sideways. Salem was a lamp designer, but may have had other artistic tendencies. But certainly the ZOD IAC or the idea you have put forward is notable because of the way it has been separated one over the other, when it could easily have been written in one complete uniform row anywhere else on that wall.